Fiber optic technology, which involves the use of very thin and flexible glass or plastic fibers to transmit light, has been used in a variety of industries including communications, computer networking, and medicine.
In the medical industry, optical fibers are incorporated into imaging devices, illumination devices, laser delivery systems, sensors, and other instruments. For example, in applications where access, illumination and imaging of the internal body is required in a closed procedure (e.g., an endoscopic procedure), optical fibers can be used to provide light through instruments that are maneuverable within the body. In particular, a bundle of optical fibers (which may extend through a flexible tubular sheath to form a fiber optic cable) can be configured to transmit light from a remote light source to an endoscope or other suitable instrument. Typically, one end of the bundle is mounted within a housing containing the remote light source, while the other end is connected to the instrument.
Ferrule connectors are often used to mount the fiber optic bundle within the light source housing. Such ferrule connectors are generally elongate structures formed of glass, plastic, metal or other suitable materials, and are provided with an internal bore into which the optical fibers are inserted and held. The ferrule connector is then engaged by a mating structure of the light source housing. The mating structure may be an integral part of the light source housing, or, more often, may be provided in a single or multiple port device which is mounted inside or on an exterior portion of the light source housing. The ferrule connector is then coupled to the light source by inserting it within a port of the device, where it is engaged by a mating structure of the device.
Mating structures for engaging the ferrule connector are selected from cylindrical type spring clips, a single spring plunger, multiple spring plungers, spring loaded arms or other mechanisms, compression collets, or the like. The ferrule connector outer surface is typically provided with an external groove corresponding to the mating structure for enhanced mating. While such mating structure configurations are capable of providing a connection between the light source housing and the optical fibers, they possess drawbacks. For example, cylindrical spring clips have the ability to move within the ferrule groove. As a result, when the ferrule is engaged by a cylindrical spring clip, the ferrule is not positively fixed to the mating part but, rather, it is capable of moving axially, horizontally, vertically, and rotationally. Likewise, multiple spring plungers position the ferrule in the center of the mating part, and as a result, they allow the ferrule to move horizontally and vertically. Such motion of the optical fibers make it difficult, if not impossible, to maintain proper orientation of the optical fibers within the light source. Providing and maintaining proper orientation is important since the orientation and position of the optical fibers relative to the output of the light source directly affects how much light is transmitted from the light source into the fiber.
It would thus be desirable to provide a structure which fixes a ferrule connector within a light source housing so as to prevent movement of the ferrule in axial, horizontal, vertical, and rotational directions. It would further be desirable to provide such a structure that is capable of permanently or temporarily fixing various sizes and shapes of ferrule connectors, with or without external grooves.